– AZ Governor Signs Bill Authorizing State Militia To Be Formed (National Liberty Federation, May 6, 2013):
At a time when militias may be needed more than ever, Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona has signed a bill creating a state militia that she could deploy at any time, and for any reason.
The bill, SB1495, creates a volunteer state militia, separate and apart from the National Guard Arizona Capitol Times reports.
“I’m very excited that she signed it, of course,”Rep. Jack Harper, who sponsored a near identical House bill, said this type of legislation couldn’t have come at a better time. “With the national funding for the National Guard on the border expiring in June, I would like to see the governor sign an executive order that immediately establishes the guard.”
Harper said he consulted several times with Maj. Gen. Hugo Salazar, the Arizona National Guard’s adjutant general, about how he would be able to utilize a volunteer militia if it were to be established and deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border. He called those conversations encouraging.
The new state militia does not have a command structure defined, and Harper said the governor could put anyone in charge of the group.
“That’s not spelled out in the legislation,” Harper said.
Aside from potentially being deployed to the border, Harper said the new state guard could be used in the case of nuclear, biological or chemical attacks, or if there were a radiological leak at a nuclear power plant.
“Decontamination is vital in that scenario,” Harper said. “And the volunteer force could augment first responders in that case.”